Since the very first Earth Day more than four decades ago, the environmental movement has tackled a wide range of problems, including air pollution, contaminated water, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and more. But this Earth Day, I propose that there are two fundamental issues the movement must address over the coming decade if it is ever to defuse the tension between development and the environment. In fact, these two issues underlie many, if not most, of the world’s environmental challenges.

Unsustainable Food Production

Food production has significant―but often underestimated―impacts on the environment. Take climate, for instance: About one-quarter of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions are agriculture-related. In particular, nearly 13 percent of global emissions comes from livestock, fertilizer use, and farm-related energy consumption, while another 11 percent results from the clearing of forests and other ecosystems, primarily for agriculture.

Options and guidelines

Distributed for comment at the 5th World Parks Congress, this guide seeks to help protected area managers, policy makers, and stakeholders learn to deal with the factors of global change that will have growing impacts on their areas in the coming decades.

Liberalization of international commerce in forest products: Risks and opportunities

Trade liberalization that threatens forests should not go forward until mechanisms are in place to ensure parallel progress on forest protection. The authors highlight recommendations which make both economic and environmental sense.